Abia picked for regional stroke, neurovascular centre

. As Otti govt secures int’l recognition for health reforms By Steve Oko UMUAHIA — Abia State has emerged as the preferred location for a proposed stroke and neurovascular centre to serve Nigeria and West Africa, following its participation in the 2026 Sweden-Africa Neurosurgery Symposium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti at Government House, Umuahia.

Kanu said the selection was in recognition of Abia’s strides in healthcare delivery and the availability of qualified medical specialists, describing it as another milestone in the state’s ongoing health sector reforms. He said the proposed centre would address the rising incidence of stroke across Africa, particularly Nigeria, by providing specialised facilities for comprehensive treatment and management of neurovascular conditions.

According to him, the state government had approved the participation of the Ministry of Health in the international symposium to explore strategic partnerships and opportunities for specialised healthcare development. The Commissioner said Abia’s health sector reforms were also showcased at the symposium, adding that the Ministry of Health had recently been recognised as a national self-care champion.

He said the recognition underscored the state’s growing capacity to promote preventive healthcare and healthy lifestyles among residents. On public health preparedness, Kanu disclosed that the government had established a multi-sectoral frontline technical working group to strengthen emergency response mechanisms. He said the group had developed an Ebola preparedness and response plan, while the government had expanded the deployment of modern medical technology in specialised healthcare.

Kanu further disclosed that the Infectious Disease Hospital in Aba had been completed, alongside an infectious disease facility and specialist hospital in Umuahia, as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s capacity to tackle Ebola and other infectious diseases. He, however, said no cases of Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, diphtheria, cholera or avian influenza were recorded in Abia.

The Commissioner also announced progress in the agricultural intervention programme being implemented across the state’s 17 local government areas in partnership with the councils. He said the initiative was designed to attract investments, boost food production, develop viable agricultural enterprises and create employment through strengthened agricultural value chains.

The Commissioner disclosed that Arochukwu LGA had a plantation plantation of over 86,000 trees, describing it as highly commendable. On housing, Kanu said the government’s residential development at Pocket Layout had attracted overwhelming interest, with applications exceeding available units. He disclosed that the government was considering a lottery system to ensure fairness, transparency and equity in allocating the houses.

Responding to questions, the Commissioner for Housing, Architect Chiemela Uzoije, said the project had been oversubscribed, with more than 530 applications received for 173 housing units. “We have a total of 173 units of residences coming up there, but at the last count, up to 530-something have applied. “It is not going to be what it used to be in the past.

It is going to be in a very free and transparent manner,” Uzoije said. Kanu also disclosed that a comprehensive assessment of existing housing estates and layouts was underway to identify infrastructure gaps and prioritise government intervention. He said the exercise would address deficits in internal roads, utilities, security infrastructure and other essential facilities needed to improve living conditions in the estates.

On abandoned federal housing projects, the Governor’s Special Adviser, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, urged the media to hold public officials accountable, particularly over projects initiated by the Federal Government but left uncompleted. Ekeoma said the Abia State Government had been executing some federal projects, stressing that providing land and fulfilling other fundamental requirements remained critical to their implementation.